What gives?

So I have been hovering in the 146-147 range for the last two weeks. I can't seem to get below the 146 range. I am on a 1200 calories diet, plus exercising daily for about a hour. Burning somewhere between 200-300 calories a day. Trying not to get discouraged, but what gives? I know that it has to be water weight gain or not enough fiber...right? I just feel that after 2 weeks of hardcore hills and jogging that there is no way I am gaining muscle yet. Lastly, I want to say my clothes are fitting me so much better, so I know improvement is happening. I feel absolutely fantastic after my daily hill climb/jogging, so I really shouldn't be complaining. I just want to see the weight go down.

I really would measure yourself and not solely rely on what the scale says. Your body is changing and you are getting close to your goal weight and the last 20 pounds are always the hardest from what I heard.

Thanks ladies. I just could drop 10 pounds so easily before that I thought this time would be the same. I have up my fiber today and hope that helps. I am staying within my calorie goal and have been exercising almost every day. Pat Lib, I know you are right. The scale is not changing, but my clothes are fitting better. I should be more focused on that. Vortex VVV, thanks for the article. I am going to read it now. NEMom, I like the word woosh when it comes to weight loss. I hope you are right. All and all, I am making better choices and I should be thankful for that. I am determined to not give up. I also feel super guilty complaining about my weight, but I feel like it is so hard when you have that last 20 pounds to get rid of.

I would not call two weeks week without a measurable weight loss a plateau. It's just a couple of weeks where your fat loss is masked by a fluid weight fluctuation. It is part of the process. Please read the thread that Vortex linked, and try to take a longer term view.

Throughout my weight loss process, most weeks I did not see a loss. I tended to hover around some number for 3 weeks at a time and then shed all my weight for the month in one whooshy week. Why? Well, I was steadily losing between half a pound and a pound of fat per week. At the same time, my fluid swings could cause me to gain up to four pounds in one day. That means that fluid retention can easily mask up to a month worth of fat loss!

Fluid retention isn't just based on how much sodium you eat or how much water you drink. It also depends on factors that are out of your control. Humidity, temperature, hormones, exercise recovery, sleep quality, immune response to bugs going around - any number of factors affect your overall scale weight that have nothing to do with your fat loss or how well you stuck your plan.

So please, try not to think week over week but instead ask yourself do I weigh less than a month ago? Two months ago? Those are the only meaningful time scales to know how well your process is working. It stinks, it tries our patience, it requires discipline, but it is how things are.

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High weight: 275 (August 2009) *** Low weight: 155 (October 2012)
Today, working off a partial regain. Current weight: 179.
Goals:
* Make the best choice I can make, with every choice.
* Remember that the temptation in front of me is not the last of its kind that I will ever see; say "I'll pass today."
* Say "no!" to my whiny inner five-year-old.

I just started three weeks ago. I didn't realize that I would hit a plateau this early? Ugh!

I didn't notice you had started so recently. You are right this is not a plateau, yet. It is normal for weight loss to slow down after the initial loss. Keep doing what you are doing and you will be successful.

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Goal 12/21/2007

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